Finger flex device



2 lsheets-snaai 1 F SAAM FINGER FLEX DEVICE March 28,- 1950 Flled Aprll l0 1946 F. sAAM 2,501,91 9

FINGER FLEX DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 28, Filed April 1o, 194e Patented Mar. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 10,

This invention relates to fingerv exercises' and finger culturing devi'ces being particularly adapted for use, in. training` the ngers of violin players, piano players and other musicians,` and also useful as a,` therapeutic aid' in, restoring the use of injured hands and, fingers for every-day tasks.

The principal objectof the. inventionis to provide exercisers which will develop strength, flexibility and independence in untrained or weak fingers and which will materially benet experienced fingers.

It has been long recognized by musicians and their teachers that daily exercising of the iingers. is essential to mastery oi an instrument, and further, that the exercising` should conform to the finger movements used in playing the instrument. In fact, while all the movements used in the instrument itself should be provided by the exercisers, it is beneficial to exaggerate the movements, for instance by increasing the normal resistance to pressure', particularly in al vertical direction. Itis therefore an object f this invention to provide exercisers` which will teach fundamental group linger placement,` which will provide for lateral or spreadingr movements of the fingers to teach independence and facility of the fingers, and which will", provide for relative vertical movements of the ngers independently against spring resistors, the springs of which may be changed at the direction of the teacher or at the discretion of the user.

Other objects and advantages will become hereinafter more fully apparent as reference is had 'to the accompanying drawings wherein my invention is illustrated by way of example. and in which Figure l is a top plan. view of my exerciser base unit and chin attachment,l

Figure 2 is a top plan View of asecond exerciser unit adapted for mounting onL the basev unit of Figure 1 Figure 3 is aside elevation of the second unit, mounted in the base unit and partiallybroken away for purposes of explanation,

Figure 4' is a. vertical transverse section taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 3.,

Figure 5 is a vertical cross-section taken alongl the line 5--5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a top plan View of a third exerciser unit also adapted to be surmounted on the base unit,

Figure 7 is a side elevation oi the unit of Fig- 6, foreshortened at the left endv and partiallyl lbroken away for purposes of explanation,

1946, Serial N0. 660,936

2 Figure 8 is an enlarged top plan view of the base unit,

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the base unit with the left. portion thereof shown in section along its median line and with the right portion broken away tofshow an additional vertical exerciser not otherwise illustrated, and

Figure 1`0y is a vertical section taken along the line I'U-i'lll of Figure 9.

10 More particularly, Figure 1 shows the base unit of my device composed of a body member l, a connecting rod 2 and a chin rest 3. The rod 2 may bey secured into the members i and 3 by frictionor by screw threads or in any other 1,5 suitable manner, the only essential consideration being that the chin rest 3 be spaced from the member I` and horizontally aligned therewith in exact replication of the chin rest and neck of a violin so that when the exerciser is held in position byv a user his head will be correctly positioned and the reach for the linger placements on the body member will correspond exactly to that of a violin. Preferably the chin rest is rotatable against friction to a position of comfort.

The body member I is similar in shape and size to the neck of a violin. It is composed of a lower part 4` which is hollowed out along its length intermediate end walls, and an upper c10-` sure portion 5 overlying the lower part 4 and secured thereto by screws 6, as best shown in Figure 9. The closure 5 has a plurality of cylindrical openings l, preferably ten in number, to receive the plungers 8 which are vertically movable therein.

The plungers d may be described as being of inverted cup shape with the exposed bottoms of each having a finger depression 9 therein. A spring lili is located in each plunger and finds a seat Il in the lower member 4. Each opening 'l is of cylindrical shape intersecting a smaller parallel cylindrical bore la of shorter length than the bore l, as seen in Figure 10. The plungers 8 are each provided with a lug i2. When a plunger is depressed against its spring l0 and then rotated to a. position as illustrated at the left. end of Figures 8 and 9 and' in Figure l0, the lug I2 retains the plunger in depressed position. When again rotated to a position where` the outline ofthe lug coincides with the opening la, as illustrated in the case of the plunger next to the left end of Figures 8 and 9, the plunger moves, under the action of its spring l l! to outwardposition, It is contemplated that different weights iii) of springs will be, used for different students and.

: different, users. AccessV is had to the springs by removing the screws 6 and lifting the portion 4 from the portion 5.

In use the device is held as though it were a violin. The plungers 8 are operated by the fingers of the user and, since there are ten of them, accurately spaced and corresponding to half tone intervals of a violin, they permit the selection of a variety of finger combinations and extensions. All of the plungers may be released for assumption of elevated positions, or some or all of them may be locked in depressed position, thus permitting the user to see and feel the stops and to select any one of the basic interval patterns in either depressed or released positions. ing and off position placement of fingers is avoided. Further, when all plungers are depressed it is possible to practice the so-called one string exercises in different interval settings.

The top member is provided With a ledge I3 at one end to receive and retain the second unit I4 illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4. This unit has an undercut ledge I5 at one end to engage the ledge I3 and it has an opposite end Wall 23, notched at 23a, to engage the connecting rod 2, as illustrated in Figure 5. Before placement of this plate or unit I4 on the member 5 all plungers 8 Will be locked in depressed position. It Will be noted that the plungers, in depressed position are slightly below the level of the top surface of the member 5 so that the unit I4 may be slid directly thereover.

This unit I4 has four slides iii each of which is held therein by a bevel and undercut construction as illustrated in Figure 4 and each slide has a trough-like finger depression Il. A plurality of openings 24 are provided in the bottom of the unit Ill so that pins 25 may be placed therein as directed by the teacher or as may be selected by the user.

In operation, the chin rest is positioned beneath the chin of the user and the neck which is now composed of the parts il, 5 and I4 rests in his hand while the tips of his four fingers may engage the depressions Il. He can then practice spreading of the fingers to improve their agility and independence, to acquire a free fore arm movement and to acquire a feel for distance in shifting. The pins 25 are adjustable stops which can be moved in order to permit equal movements of the fingers or, if preferred, to permit one or more fingers greater movement than the other fingers.

Upon removal of the unit I5 from the member 5 the third unit I8 may be mounted upon the member 5. It is also equipped with an undercut ledge 3i) at one end, similar to the ledge i5, for engagement with the ledge I3, and it has a depending end wall 26 formed and notched in a manner exactly similar to the end wall 25 with its notch 23a so that it may engage the connecting rod 2, in the manner previously explained.

This unit I8 has converging' sides and a plurality of finger depressions I9 in the top thereof. Four lines in resemblance of the four strings of a violin may be formed on the top of the unit and each of these lines will bisect at least two of the depressions I9. The finger depressions are fixed and each represents a note of the musical scale. The position of the depressions is for the fundamental finger settings which will prepare the left hand for all intervals, chords and descending scale passages, this unit being called the chord and interval exerciser and being also a visual instruction plate.

` Referring again to Figure 9, the plungers 8 Gropwith their springs I0, as previously explained, resist depression in a vertical direction. In some instances, as Where this vertical exercise does not produce the desired results I provide a means for resisting upward vertical movement, or lift, of the lingers. This device will also prove of substantial benefit for reconditioning an injured iinger and is illustrated in the right portion of Figure 9. It consists of a finger ring 2l secured to an actuator rod 28 which is xedly secured in a cover plate 29 for a spring It). The rod 28 extends loosely through the base member 4 so that it may move freely therein. While any desired number of the plungers 8 may be equipped with this ring device I contemplate providing only one. When the unit I is held in inverted position any linger may be inserted in the ring 21 and, if desired, first one finger and then another may be inserted and exercised.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an exerciser which will permit the teaching and practice of all finger movements used in playing a violin, that the exercises may be exaggerated by exaggerating the stretch if desired, with the plate I4, and by increase of required pressures by substituting unduly strong springs beneath the plungers 8; that I have also provided a visual fingerboard which will be of great assistance to teachers of elementary students to aid in acquiring good intonation; that, while the use of the device has been described with particular reference to a violin, it may be used on the lap or on a table to culture and to exercise the fingers for other instruments such as piano, accordion, cello, etc.; and that I have likewise provided an `exerciser of great therapeutic value to injured hands to aid in restoring the lingers to normal functioning.

Various small changes may be incorporated without departing from the spirit of my invention and selection of construction either from the iield of plastics, wood or other materials is pcssible without departing from the spirit of my invention so that I desire to be extended protection s as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A finger culturing device comprising a body member composed of an upper and a lower part, said lower part being hollowed out, said upper part having openings therethrough for the reception of plungers, plungers in said openings each in the shape of an inverted cylindrical cup having a iinger depression in the exposed surface thereof, each of said plungers having a lug extending laterally therefrom for engagement with shoulders internally of said upper part, and a spring for each of said plungers seated at one end in said lower part and pressing said plunger at its other end, one of said shoulders retaining its plunger in depressed position, the other of said shoulders restraining said plunger against loss through its opening, said plungers being individually lockable in depressed position or reciprocable While in released position, said plungers being accurately spaced along said member in replication of half tone intervals on a violin;

2. A finger culturing device comprising a body member simulating the shape and size of the neck of a violin, a connecting rod extending out- Wardly from one end of said body member terminating in a threaded end and a chin rest frictionally secured onto the outer end of said connecting rod, said chin rest being rotatable on said rod against friction to any desired position with respect to said body, said body member having l,

thereof, each of said springs resisting vertical depression by the nger of a user, and a rod extending from the interior bottom of said plunger through said spring and outwardly of said base member, said rod having a nger engaging ring secured to the outer end thereof, said spring yieldingly resisting movement of said ring away from said base member.

4. A finger culturing device comprising a main body member having a plurality of parallel bores transversely thereof, a plunger slidable in each of said bores having a iinger depression in the outer surface thereof, a spring in each of said bores between the base of each bore and the plunger therein, each said plunger under the influence of its spring being movable to an extended position of exposure Substantially outwardly of said bore, each said plunger being movable against the pressure of its spring to a retracted position Where its top is substantially flush with said main body, means locking said plungers in retracted position upon partial rotation of each thereof, said device serving as a compression resistant culturing device when said 6 plungers are in extended position and serving as a static culturing device when said plungers are looked in retracted position, a rod extending from each of said plungers through its spring and through the bottom of said main body member, and a ring integral with the outer end of each of said rods, said rings each being adapted for engagement by the ingers of a user when said plungers are in extended position, thereby serving as a culturing device for tension movements of said ngers away from said main body memberl FRANK REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:r

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

